Fact sheet: NTIA announces new funding opportunities for tribal broadband

On June 17, 2026, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced two new funding opportunities to expand broadband access in Tribal communities: a third round of funding for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) and the Native Entities (NE) Grant Program. This fact sheet provides an overview of the new broadband funding opportunities available to Tribal Nations.

Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program

NTIA’s recent announcement opens the next round of funding for the TBCP, a program to which Congress allocated $3 billion to expand internet access in Tribal communities. Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for the first two rounds of TBCP funding were announced in June 2021 and July 2023, respectively. Since then, NTIA has awarded approximately $2.1 billion of the program’s funding to 271 projects on Tribal lands across the U.S.

In November 2025, NTIA announced that it would implement reforms to the TBCP that would take effect with its third round of funding. NTIA explained that the reforms were intended to “reduce red tape for Tribal governments, promote flexibility, and align NTIA’s grant opportunities to better serve Tribal connectivity.” NTIA hosted two Tribal consultations on the matter in January 2026, and released the NOFO for round three funding on June 17, 2026.

According to the NOFO, NTIA expects to award $540 million in TBCP funding this round on a competitive basis for two types of projects: broadband infrastructure deployment projects and broadband adoption and use projects. Previous TBCP recipients are not prohibited from applying for funding, and Tribal Nations that have not previously received TBCP funding are eligible for a $500,000 equitable distribution award.

Native Entities Grant Program

In addition to introducing a new round of TBCP funding, NTIA announced the Native Entities Grant Program. The program combines funding from two separate grant programs authorized by the Digital Equity Act. Congress enacted the Digital Equity Act in 2021 and allocated approximately $2.7 billion to the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program and the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. The act also created a set-aside for Indian Tribes, Alaska Native entities and Native Hawaiian organizations. Shortly after taking office in 2025, President Donald Trump called the act “unconstitutional,” creating uncertainty about the future of its programs.

However, when NTIA announced in November 2025 that it was considering reforms to the TBCP, the agency also said it would incorporate the Native entity set-aside from the Digital Equity Act into future funding programs. NTIA published the Native Entities Grant Program NOFO on June 17. The program sets aside $250 million in Digital Equity Act funding for broadband adoption and use proposals in Tribal communities.

Conclusion

NTIA’s new Tribal broadband funding programs provide additional opportunities to help close the connectivity gap affecting Tribal communities. Tribal Nations interested in learning more about the funding opportunities may review NTIA’s informational webinar on the two programs, available on the agency’s website.

The application windows for both programs are open and close Nov. 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Additional information about application and submission requirements is available in the NOFOs for both programs.